Heart disease remains on the rise in the United States

Austin Tang — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:21:58 +0000

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Heart disease remains on the rise in the United States. Most people are aware of common risk factors like high blood pressure and bad cholesterol, but there’s one lesser-known, inherited heart disease risk factor that affects millions and is passed down through families. It’s called lipoprotein(a), (lip-o-pro-teen-a) or Lp(a), (L-P-little A) and experts say having a high level can independently increase the risk of having a heart event such as a heart attack or stroke.

Joining us now is Dr. Icilma (EYE-SIL-MA) Fergus, (Fur-GUS) Professor of Medicine, Director of Cardiovascular Disparities and Clinical Lipidology at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, and Lynn, who is living with high L-p(a), to talk about this hidden heart risk and what you should know.

GUEST BIO

Icilma V. Fergus, MD, FACC, FASPC
Professor of Medicine
Director of Cardiovascular Disparities and Clinical Lipidology
Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Fergus is a board-certified professional in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, currently serving as the Director of Clinical Lipidology and Cardiovascular Disparities for the Fuster Heart Hospital at Mount Sinai. Her expertise lies in Preventative Cardiology, specifically focusing on Lipids and Hypertension, Women’s Heart Disease, and Cardiovascular Health Advocacy. She is Professor of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
With an active engagement in professional organizations, Dr. Fergus holds significant roles such as the past President of the Westchester board of the American College of Cardiology and past president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. She is also a past President of the Jack and Jill of America Foundation.
Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Fergus passionately advocates for health equity and cardiac disease prevention. Her impactful contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Luminary Award from the American Heart Association, the Community Service Award from the Heart Valve Society of America, Young Black & Gifted, and Community award from Delta Sigma Theta in 2023. In addition, she has been featured on numerous publications and broadcasts, including “Here and Now” with Sandra Bookman on ABC

#HeartDisease #LPa #HeartAttack #Stroke #DrIcilmaFergus

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Rare Disease Day is February 28thIT MAY BE AN “INVISIBLE ILLNESS” Yet One Major Symptom Remains Relentless Hear from Former NCAA All-American Hockey Player Who is Now a Hockey Coach

Austin Tang — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:00:23 +0000

Listen to “Rare Disease Day is February 28thIT MAY BE AN “INVISIBLE ILLNESS” Yet One Major Symptom Remains Relentless Hear from Former…” on Spreaker.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare liver disease characterized by progressive inflammation and destruction of bile ducts, which may lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, specific cancers, and ultimately liver failure.1
PSC is estimated to affect 29,000 people in the United States and 236,000 people in Europe.2,3 Additionally, one in every 10,000 people worldwide is diagnosed with PSC.4 The median age at diagnosis is approximately 35 years, and approximately 70% of PSC patients have inflammatory bowel disease, principally ulcerative colitis.5,6
The cause of PSC is not completely understood but it is thought to stem from genetic as well as environmental factors. A significant symptom of PSC, 91% of patients suffer from a severe and unrelenting itch, clinically referred to as pruritus, which can deeply impact a person and their quality of life.7
As a former NCAA All-American Hockey Player, and three-time national champion with the University of Minnesota Duluth, Julianne Vasichek was at the top of her game when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with PSC. Although she had been experiencing unexplained symptoms for some time, including relentless itch, fatigue and abdominal pain, she never imagined the cause was a rare and debilitating disease.
Julianne spent the next seven years managing her disease and staying as active and healthy as possible. Due to the lack of effective treatments to manage her PSC, she underwent an emergency liver transplant. She has found that sharing her story, connecting with others, and spreading awareness bolstered her spirit and gave her a renewed sense of purpose. Drawing on her own experience, Julianne actively engages with other patients while advocating for increased research and PSC community connectivity. Julianne is thriving and is currently the Head Women’s Coach at the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota.
There is a void of effective therapies for rare cholestatic liver diseases, such as PSC. However, with current ongoing research, there may be options in the future to combat the relentless itch that PSC patients experience other than a transplant.
Join Julianne and internationally trained hepatologist Gideon Hirschfield, FRCP, PhD, as they discuss PSC in an effort to raise awareness about the disease.

Courtesy: Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Inc

#pspartners #mirum

The post Rare Disease Day is February 28thIT MAY BE AN “INVISIBLE ILLNESS” Yet One Major Symptom Remains Relentless Hear from Former NCAA All-American Hockey Player Who is Now a Hockey Coach appeared first on Good News!.

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Heart disease remains on the rise in the United States

Rare Disease Day is February 28thIT MAY BE AN “INVISIBLE ILLNESS” Yet One Major Symptom Remains Relentless Hear from Former NCAA All-American Hockey Player Who is Now a Hockey Coach